Ya kiddin´ right? Changing a sprocket on track, just like it's a lightbulb? Odd....
Otherwise great RR and beautiful pics. Y'all look like a group of military motorcycle scouts, with your dark suits and muddy bikes, remind me of piccies of G.I.'s on WLA's Liberators...

Changing sprockets on most dual sports is easy. On my DR650 I can do it trail side in about 10 minutes. I don't even have to loosen rear axle nut. I too frequently change front sprocket for more technical or steep terrain. It helps quite a bit. Once back on fast highway ... back to bigger sprocket = higher gearing.

Sounds like the DR, the BMW 's are also a doodle to swap sprockets on in situ.

Walter- I started on this site while sitting in Iraq, spending my two free hours a day reading the original Sibirsky Extreme report. All your reports are great but each brings something a little different.
This ride is incredible with the different perspectives everyone brings. It is amazing to watch the ride unfold, with every rider sharing their photographs and experiences. Thank you to everyone for bringing us on this trip!

I've made a huge mistake. I spent all my free time catching up on this rr. Now that I'm on Xmas break I have nothing to do. Can someone point me in the direction of where to start on Walters rr's.
true inspiration guys and gal. Thanks for taking us along for the ride

I've made a huge mistake. I spent all my free time catching up on this rr. Now that I'm on Xmas break I have nothing to do. Can someone point me in the direction of where to start on Walters rr's.
true inspiration guys and gal. Thanks for taking us along for the ride

There is probably an easier way, but click on Colebatch a couple of posts up. View his public profile, go to statics, then select "Find all threads started by".
I would start with "Sibirsky Extreme" and follow along by date.
Make sure you tell people you won't be around for the next couple of months- you are catching up on reading!

On the morning of day 53 Terry, Beamster and me had seen enough of our rooms in the hotel.
Because there was still no news from Rod we packed our stuff and left for a few more days.
We asked Walter to let us know asap if there was news about the KTM,
so we could be back in time to reunite the group

Walter showed us some tracks he had. And told us to take the right one otherwise we would enter a border zone !!!
(because we didn't have a permit and don't speak Russian that wouldn't be the best option)

First we drove to Kosh-Agach where we got some fuel for the bikes and did some grocery shopping.

Most of the tracks we tried, ended where the mountains started. After trying a few the weather didn't look to promising.
So we decided to start looking for a campsite and setup camp before hell would brake loose.
The landscape near Kosh-Akash is totally different from that near Aktash. Much more desert like.

The moment we drove towards the campsite I noticed an eagle had landed on the top of a mountain nearby.
After dinner I decided to climb up the mountain to get a better look at the eagle.

When I was hiking up the hill Beamster kept looking how I was doing.
Than Terry spotted a dog like thing standing on the top.
Just before I reached the place where the eagle landed I stopped to have a look.
It turned out to be a Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) that I had seen a few times before.
The place it had landed turned out to be its nest. Trying not to disturb the bird I turned round and started to walk back.
At that point Beamster and Terry were waving at me, so I waved back and carried on.

When I was back at the campsite Beamster and Terry asked me: Didn't you see it ?????
See what ???? The big dog on the top they said !! No idea what you two are talking about.

They told me that a dog had been watching me the whole time, and the moment I turned around it chased me down the hill. As I walked down I disappeared behind a ledge and was out of site for 10 min. The dog disappeared behind the same ridge just behind me.

Don't know about Terry, but Beamster was happy to see me again after the 10 min that I was out of sight.

These are some of the other birds I had seen near the campsite.
Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti

This Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)was resting here for the night. The picture isn't showing much.
But the bird was about 700 meters from our campsite. Than you can imagine how big those birds are. They stand 105 cm's tall with a wing span up to 295cm.

Some other birds that I have seen were:
Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus)
Masked Wagtail (Motacilla personata)
Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra)